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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24412789">You and I, We Will Be Just Fine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loveandcoffeeandothersimplicities/pseuds/Loveandcoffeeandothersimplicities'>Loveandcoffeeandothersimplicities</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anxiety Attacks, F/M, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:42:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,017</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24412789</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loveandcoffeeandothersimplicities/pseuds/Loveandcoffeeandothersimplicities</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When he had met the embodiment of Nancy Drew, Jughead Jones hadn't meant to fall in love so fast. Really, he hadn't.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Fangs Fogarty/Sweet Pea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jughead kept his head down as he let the snake emblem on the back of his jacket protect him on this part of town. He was doing recon on the ghoulies, trying to figure out what their next course of action was before they could implement it. He nodded at Sweet Pea, his brother and righthand man, who nodded in turn, tucking his gun into the back of his pants as he crept around the side of the warehouse to make sure there weren't any guards outdoors. He came back moments later.</p>
<p>"Coast is clear, Jug," he said, and Jughead knew from the sounds of the muffled thumps that Sweet Pea had taken care of the only guard there. He nodded and they let themselves inside. Jughead took a look around, taking in all of the drug crates that lined the walls. Sweet Pea whistled lowly.</p>
<p>"Shit, they're dealing again," he cursed.</p>
<p>"Or, about to. We need to end this shit now," Jughead hissed, jaw clenched. They quickly set about pouring gasoline over every crate and, just as he got ready to throw one of his lighters, a soft whimpering caught his attention. Sweet Pea looked at him with raised eyebrows.</p>
<p>"What the fuck?" Sweet Pea asked, perplexed as much as it seemed Jughead was. Jughead quickly shone his flashlight against the room, landing on the corner where a small blonde was handcuffed to a pole, mouth taped shut.</p>
<p>"Shit," Jughead gasped in alarm, quickly stashing his lighter away. He and Sweet Pea ran to her, but they could tell she was getting panicked, the more she thrashed against her handcuffs.</p>
<p>"Hey, honey, easy," Jughead soothed gently, running a hand through her knotted hair. He wondered when the last time was someone was gentle with her. By the looks of the bruises dotting her skin, it wasn't anytime soon. She stilled, looking up at him with terrified eyes. "I'm going to take the tape off, alright? I just need you to breathe as I do it, so it won't be as painful, okay?" Jughead asked softly. Her eyes rolled to Sweet Pea.</p>
<p>"We're not going to hurt you, darling, we promise. We just want to get you out of here, alright?" Sweet Pea asked softly. She looked at him, then Jughead, who had his fingers inches away from the tape, waiting for her permission. She nodded slowly.</p>
<p>"Good job," he said, smiling gently at her. He peeled the tape back as quickly as he could, hoping to not draw out her pain, and rubbed the tender skin as she breathed deeply.</p>
<p>"Thank you," she whispered hoarsely. He frowned.</p>
<p>"When's the last time you had water, hon?" Jughead asked carefully.</p>
<p>"Three, maybe four days ago," she whispered, squeezing her eyes closed in pain. He growled. Fucking ghoulies. She snapped her eyes open at his issued growl, whimpering as she tried to scoot as far away from him as possible. He held out a hand placatingly. "No, it's okay. You're safe. We're going to get you out of here, okay?"</p>
<p>She looked between them again, watching as Sweet Pea nodded with a slight smile. She eventually stilled again, breathing slowly.</p>
<p>"Are you hurt?" Jughead asked softly. She bit her lip, clearly still deciding if she could trust them. He waited patiently. Eventually, she seemed to think she could at least a little bit.</p>
<p>"Yes," she croaked. "My, my arm. I think it's broken."</p>
<p>Jughead got around her, to look at her wrists, and hissed when he noticed how swollen the skin was; how bruised the flesh looked. She stiffened at his hiss again, and he rubbed her shoulder gently. "We'll get that looked at, okay? Now, do you happen to know where the keys are?" He asked, not thinking she would. She surprised him as she nodded.</p>
<p>"Yeah, they're right on that crate over there," she said, tilting her head to the crate to the left of them. The fucking dicks left the key to her freedom feet away from her, he realized with disgust.</p>
<p>"Pretty fucking awful, huh?" She rasped, nodding again at the keys.</p>
<p>"We'll get you out of here, okay? It'll be okay," Jughead said softly as Sweet Pea brought back the keys. "This is going to hurt, and I'm so fucking sorry, but I've got to get these handcuffs off."</p>
<p>The girl nodded, seemingly resigned at the fact of more pain. His stomach clenched as he eased the keys into the lock, trying to be as gentle as humanly possible while taking off the cuffs. Her harsh, labored breathing sent a knife to his gut as he pulled the cuffs away. "Good job. It's all done."</p>
<p>Sweet Pea looked at her as he bent down to her level. "Can you tell us your name, doll?"</p>
<p>She licked her lips. "Betty. Betty Cooper."</p>
<p>Jughead nodded. "Good. Okay, I'm going to pick you up, alright?"</p>
<p>She frowned as she looked at him, clearly not understanding why he needed to do that.</p>
<p>"You're pretty thin, Betty, and we need to get you out of here quickly. I don't want to risk you collapsing," he explained.</p>
<p>"Oh," she said quietly, surprised. She looked down to her body. "Yeah, haven't eaten in a while."</p>
<p>He nodded, jaw flexing. Of course, the rival gang would starve her. They weren't known for niceties. He held out his arms. "May I?"</p>
<p>She looked at him one more time, debating, before nodding. He lifted her up gently.</p>
<p>"God," he groaned. He expected her to be light, but not this light. Nor to be burning up.</p>
<p>"Pea, she has a fever," he said.</p>
<p>"I'll call Fangs," came the reply. Sweet Pea pulled out his phone, calling their member, and his boyfriend. As he talked to him, telling him to get prepared for Betty, Jughead looked at her as he carried her.</p>
<p>"Where are you taking me?" Betty asked.</p>
<p>"Uh, to our headquarters," he said, somewhat reluctantly. She seemed to notice.</p>
<p>"I saw the jackets you guys are wearing; you're members of the Serpents. Honestly, if I had to choose to be with a gang right now, it'd be yours'," she said softly. That made his heart soothe a bit. He didn't want her to be anymore afraid than she already was.</p>
<p>"What were you doing here? How did you get kidnapped?" Jughead asked quietly as they walked through the trees to where Sweet Pea's car was. Jughead was utterly grateful they decided to leave their bikes at headquarters tonight.</p>
<p>"Same reason as you," she whispered. "I found out about the drugs and wanted to expose them. I'm your average Nancy Drew." These last words were spoken as she slipped off.</p>
<p>He looked down at her. The last thing he felt she was, was average. Intrigued, he tightened his hold on her and they continued walking, letting the burning warehouse behind them guide their way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Trigger Warning: Discussion of rape. Not graphic, but implied. Stay safe. Xxx</p>
<p>Jughead set Betty down in the backseat gently as Sweet Pea held the door open for him. He was torn. He wanted to sit back there with her, in case she came to and was confused, but he also knew Pea might need him up front to make sure they weren't followed. As if sensing his thoughts, Sweet Pea nodded at him.</p>
<p>"Sit with her. I'll handle the road," he said, and Jughead nodded. He got in behind her, pulled her to where she was resting against his lap. As Sweet Pea got the car started and began driving, Jughead took a moment to really look at Betty. Not an inch of her wasn't black or blue. Her skin was puffy, left eye almost swollen completely shut and there were bruises. God, the bruises. They littered every inch of what he would assume would be porcelain skin otherwise. He wondered how he hadn't seen it in the warehouse. He pushed her hair off her forehead as she mumbled, skin fiery to the touch.</p>
<p>"Shh," he murmured, hoping to ease her discomfort. Then, "step on it, Pea. We need her to get looked at and to see just how fast we can get her fever down." His brother nodded; lips pulled tight in a grim line as he sped down the streets. Soon enough, they were pulling up to their compound and Jughead was getting out of the car, Betty held in his arms securely. Fangs was waiting for them by the door.</p>
<p>"Fuck," his fellow Serpent, and friend, gasped. He looked at them inquiringly but shook his head as he held the door open. Questions would be answered in time. Jughead hurried inside, placing Betty on the bed they had in the corner of the room.</p>
<p>"She's got a fever Fangs, a broken arm, and bruises. Lots of them. I don't know about any other injuries," he admitted. Fangs nodded.</p>
<p>"I'll give her an antibiotic to help with the fever, first," he said. Jughead was so fucking grateful in that moment that the Serpents were on good terms with Moose Mason, a doctor at Riverdale General. It helped when situations where one of them were hurt. Fangs got the antibiotic, looking at Betty. "What's her name?"</p>
<p>"Betty," Jughead said.</p>
<p>"Betty? Can you hear me?" Fangs asked softly. The blonde mumbled as her eyes crinkled open.</p>
<p>"Hmm?" Betty asked tiredly.</p>
<p>"I need you take some medication, okay, sweetheart? It'll help with the fever. Jug, get a glass of water," he added, and Jughead hurried to go do that. When he came back, Betty was looking a little more awake. "Think you can sit up a bit with some help?" Fangs asked, and she nodded. Jughead wrapped an arm around her shoulders, helping her ease up as Fangs slipped the medication into her mouth, followed by some water. She sighed in contentment as she drank the water and Fangs held the glass to her lips for a few more moments before pulling it away.</p>
<p>"Sorry, Betty," he murmured, apologetically. "We don't want you getting sick off too much water right now." She nodded and Jughead laid her back gently.</p>
<p>"Okay, Jughead told me about your arm and the bruises. Are there any other injuries I need to be aware of?" Fangs asked, looking between the two Serpents and Betty. Jughead and Sweet Pea looked at Betty in concern.</p>
<p>"Are there?" Jughead asked softly, comfortingly. He wasn't exactly sure the hell Betty had been through but knowing the Ghoulies, he could only imagine. She shifted around, seemingly embarrassed, and he stroked her knuckles comfortingly. "It's okay."</p>
<p>She licked her lips nervously. "I-I was, uh, well, raped."</p>
<p>She looked down in that moment, which was a good thing, because the three Serpents exchanged murderous looks. Ghoulies weren't known for being gentle but to fucking force themselves on a woman…they'd be lucky to get out of this with their heads to still attached to their bodies.</p>
<p>"Okay," Fangs said calmly, the first one to recover. "I'm going to need to check you for any bruises or infections."</p>
<p>Betty looked panicked, squeezing her legs together as she shook her head.</p>
<p>"Hey," Jughead said softly, crouching down next to her and tucking her hair behind her ear. "It's okay, hon. I swear. Fangs is really good. He's the closest thing the Serpents have to having a doctor and he knows what he's looking for. We have the equipment to take the appropriate tests and he'll have the results as quickly as possible. Also, he won't hurt you. He'll be gentle. Completely gentle."</p>
<p>Betty licked her lips again. "Okay."</p>
<p>Fangs made quick but gentle work of checking her, and Jughead knew he was trying to make her as comfortable as possible. Still, Betty's eyes closed in discomfort, whining at the discomfort he knew she was feeling.</p>
<p>"It's okay," he murmured, rubbing a hand through her hair. "Just-just look at me, alright?" He asked, hoping to distract her. She looked at him, and he nodded encouragingly, smiling softly as Fangs worked.</p>
<p>"Alright, Betty, sweetheart. It's over," Fangs said. Betty exhaled a shudder, body relaxing for the first-time since Jughead and Sweet Pea had found her in the warehouse. "Now, your arm."</p>
<p>Betty looked at it, almost in surprise. "Oh, yeah."</p>
<p>Fangs held his hands out. "May I?"</p>
<p>Betty nodded and hesitantly extended her arm towards him. As he studied it, Fangs nodded.</p>
<p>"It's definitely broken. Pea, babe, can you get the ace-bandages and one of the spare slings we have?" Fangs asked his boyfriend. Sweet Pea nodded and went to the cabinet, getting the stuff that Fangs needed. Fangs softly began wrapping her arm, lowering it down in the sling afterwards. Betty sighed, almost in relief. "I'm sorry I don't have an x-ray machine here. We're not a hospital."</p>
<p>Betty laughed. "'S okay."</p>
<p>A small smile tugged at Jughead's lip. Her laugh, while sounding incredibly hoarse, was still nice to hear.</p>
<p>"We do, however, have some pain medication. Would you like some?" Fangs asked. Betty hesitated, seemingly torn for a moment, before speaking.</p>
<p>"Is it addictive?" Betty asked softly, and Jughead sensed a story behind that question. He didn't press, though.</p>
<p>"It can be," Fangs said calmly. "But I can monitor your intake, if you want."</p>
<p>"I'm not the one with the addiction," she mumbled, cheeks turning red.</p>
<p>"Well, I can still monitor it anyways," Fangs said gently. "I know the dosages and I'll make sure you're not in danger of developing an addiction, okay?"</p>
<p>Betty thought for a moment before nodding. "Okay."</p>
<p>"Okay," Fangs said, smiling softly and getting the Vicodin they kept. He took out a tablet and looked at Jughead. "Help her with the water, okay?"</p>
<p>Jughead nodded and Fangs handed the pill to Betty. She looked at it uneasily, before accepting it slowly and taking it. Jughead helped her sip some more water, making sure she had enough to be satisfied with without getting an upset stomach. He looked at his men, who both nodded, and looked at Betty.</p>
<p>"We're going to head out. Sleep well, doll," Sweet Pea said with a kind smile. Fangs smiled at her too, and the two men left, headed to their apartment most likely. Jughead eased Betty back against the pillows, pulling the covers up to her chin as he tucked her in.</p>
<p>"Are you leaving, too? What's your name?" Betty mumbled sleepily, eyes already fighting to stay open. He touched her forehead, still uncomfortable with her fever. He shook his head.</p>
<p>"No, hon. I'm going to stay down here. And, Jughead," he said softly.</p>
<p>"You don't have to," she mumbled. "I'll be okay…" she trailed off as her eyes slipped closed.</p>
<p>"Shh, hon. You're safe now. Just sleep," he whispered, and she nodded. She fell asleep seconds later and Jughead pulled up one of the chairs they had and placed it next to her bed. He'd need to get her some food when she actually woke up, help put some weight back on her. But, for now, he'd just make sure she was safe through her sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Author's note: Wanted to say a quick apology about my delay in updating. My laptop freaked out on me for a few weeks and it just started working again. Back with the writing now! Enjoy and, as always, reviews and kudos loved and appreciated!</p>
<p>Jughead woke up the next morning to a soft throat clearing. Blinking his eyes open from where he was resting in the chair, he looked around until he came into contact with Betty. She looked uncertain, something he understood.</p>
<p>"Hey, it's okay, Betty," he murmured, squeezing her good arm gently. She blinked at him.</p>
<p>"Jughead?" Betty asked, and he nodded, happy that she remembered. "May I have some water please?"</p>
<p>His heart clenched at the fact that she sounded scared, as if this simple request would result in him being mad at her. He hurried to acquiesce her request, getting a new glass of water and bringing it to her. He helped her take a few sips, still wary about her stomach rejecting it before she pulled back with a satisfied sigh.</p>
<p>"Thank you," she murmured. He smiled.</p>
<p>"Of course, hon," he said softly. He felt her forehead, smiling slightly. "Fever doesn't seem to be as high this morning. Let me call Fangs and get him in here to check you over, okay?"</p>
<p>"Fangs?" Betty asked, eyebrows furrowed.</p>
<p>"The Serpents' doctor. He helped last night," Jughead quickly clarified, and she nodded, eyes fluttering closed.</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah," she murmured. He let her rest for a bit while he called Fangs, asking him to come to them. He didn't have to wait long before the fellow member was in the room, Pea right behind him. Jughead nodded at his friend, knowing he was worried about the girl they were looking after. He gently touched Betty's shoulder.</p>
<p>"Betty? Fangs is here. Think you can wake up for a bit?" Jughead asked gently, and the petite and malnourished blonde nodded her head as she pried her eyes open. Well, the one that would open all the way. Fangs smiled at her.</p>
<p>"Good to see you awake, Betty," he said. "I'm just going to look you over, okay?"</p>
<p>"Okay," Betty agreed, trying to sit up. Jughead automatically helped ease her up, fluffing the pillows behind her so she could rest behind them more comfortably as Fangs worked. It was silent as Fangs ran his tests, leaving Jughead to think. What the hell had the Ghoulies done to this poor girl besides the obvious? They had obviously physically and sexually abused her; there was no doubt those type of scars would leave emotional and mental ones as well. He chewed his thumbnail as Fangs stepped back.</p>
<p>"Fever has gone down considerably so that's a good sign. There's no infection from your attack, which is another good sign. I know I'll need to wait for the test results to be one hundred percent certain, but I am fairly confident you are going to be okay as far as getting any diseases," Fangs said gently, and Betty nodded. He looked at Jughead then, the two men communicating silently, before Jughead nodded and looked at Betty.</p>
<p>"Betty, do you think you're up for eating something?" Jughead asked softly.</p>
<p>She looked at him in surprise. "Oh. Uh, it's been, uh, several days since I've eaten. I'm not sure how my stomach would react."</p>
<p>Jughead nodded, fighting down the anger he felt boiling inside him at the fact that she had been deprived of food. She didn't need his anger. "I know. We'll make it small, alright? <br/>Pea makes a mean homemade chicken and noodle soup."</p>
<p>She looked at Sweet Pea, who was smiling encouragingly, and nodded.</p>
<p>"That doesn't sound too bad," she agreed cautiously, and Jughead smiled.</p>
<p>"Good, he'll get started on it," he replied, nodding his head at his friend. Sweet Pea left as Fangs looked at Betty.</p>
<p>"I'll have the results by tomorrow, at the latest okay?" Fangs said, and Betty nodded, fiddling with the strap of her sling. She seemed haunted by her eyes alone, and Jughead cut his head towards the door, with Fangs taking the hint and leaving them alone as well.</p>
<p>"What is it, Betty?" Jughead asked softly, hesitantly placing his hand on hers'. He took it as a good sign that she didn't flinch away from it and he slowly began to rub circles with his thumb against her skin.</p>
<p>"I-I can't be pregnant. I don't want that monster's baby," she muttered, staring down as she blinked back tears. Jughead's heart clenched.</p>
<p>"Hey," he said softly, waiting patiently until she looked up at him. "We'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it, okay?"</p>
<p>She inhaled shakily before nodding. "Alright."</p>
<p>He could tell she didn't want to say anything else about it so didn't press her to talk. He cast around for a topic, landing on something she had said the night before. A slight smile tugged at his lips.</p>
<p>"So, I don't know if you remember saying this as your consciousness faded pretty quickly after saying it, but you called yourself a "regular Nancy Drew"?" Jughead asked, and Betty chuckled, cheeks turning a rosy red.</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah. That. I like to investigate, I guess," she said, shrugging a shoulder.</p>
<p>He smiled. "I figured, if you were at the warehouse."</p>
<p>She frowned. "It's a good thing you guys were there, too. I don't know how else I was going to get out."</p>
<p>Jughead nodded. "I'm glad we were there, too. You shouldn't have been in that horrifying situation in the first place. I'm so sorry that happened to you."</p>
<p>She sighed. "Well, I guess that's what I get for not listening to my best friend's advice about hunting leads on my own."</p>
<p>"Who's your best friend?" Jughead asked.</p>
<p>She smiled. "Kevin Keller. He's been my best gay since grade school. He was also my first boyfriend."</p>
<p>Jughead laughed. "I'm sure he didn't mean to break your heart when he realized girls didn't do the trick for him."</p>
<p>"No," Betty laughed. "He didn't. And, he was a good first love. We shared twizzlers and juice pouches every lunch in the first grade, and he made it up to me when he punched some idiot in the nose for pulling on my pigtails."</p>
<p>Jughead laughed. "Sounds like a great guy."</p>
<p>"He is," she agreed with a smile. "I should probably call him, let him know I'm alive. It's not uncommon for me to go radio silent for several days when hunting down a lead but I'm sure even he is getting anxious at this point."</p>
<p>Jughead nodded. "I'll step out and let you talk to him. Can, can I just ask a favor?"</p>
<p>Betty looked at him. "Sure. Anything. I have my life thanks to you and your friends."</p>
<p>Jughead smiled half a smile. "Just, hang out around headquarters for a while, alright? Until we get the Ghoulies brought down, okay?"</p>
<p>Betty seemed to be contemplating something. Eventually, she nodded.</p>
<p>"Alright. I will. On the condition I get to help bring them down."</p>
<p>Jughead smirked. "Took the words right out of my mouth, Nancy Drew."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jughead left Betty to make her phone call to her best friend. He knew that if he was in the guy's shoes and his best friend had not been heard from in God knows how long, he'd be worried as fuck. So, he just let her call him and headed off to where Sweet Pea was in the process of making the soup that he promised. Jughead gave an appreciative sniff as he passed his friend.</p><p>"Smells good," he said, and Pea grinned.</p><p>"Thanks. I'm really hoping her stomach doesn't reject it. Not to sound like an asshole, but she is so fucking thin," Sweet Pea muttered, and Jughead sighed. Rubbing a hand over his face, he nodded.</p><p>"I know. I'm hoping we can get some weight back on her fairly quickly," he replied. Sweet Pea looked at him for a moment as he stirred the broth.</p><p>"How long is she going to stay with us?" Sweet Pea asked curiously.</p><p>"Until the Ghoulies are caught and she's not leaving a day sooner," Jughead said firmly.</p><p>"And, does she, ah, know about who we are?" Sweet Pea asked lowly. Jughead nodded.</p><p>"Yeah, she said she saw our jackets and understood immediately that we're the Serpents. She, uh, said she would rather be with our gang than the Ghoulies if she was given a choice," he laughed.</p><p>Sweet Pea chuckled. "Smart deduction."</p><p>"Smart woman," Jughead mused. They fell silent for a bit and Jughead poured himself a cup of coffee and, after thinking for a moment, poured another one. "I'm going to go see if Betty wants some coffee."</p><p>Sweet frowned. "Think her stomach can handle it?"</p><p>"No point in knowing if we don't try," Jughead replied, and Sweet Pea waved him off. Heading back to the room Betty was in, Jughead knocked on the door. A soft, "come in", had him entering and looking at her sitting up on the bed. He smiled softly, making her way towards her.</p><p>"Conversation go well?" Jughead asked. She tilted her head towards the coffee.</p><p>"For me?" Betty asked hopefully, and Jughead nodded with a smile, handing it to her.</p><p>"I, uh, don't know how you take it. There's sugar – somewhere- and I think maybe cream?" Jughead asked, sounding uncertain. Betty laughed softly and it sounded like bells, leaving him momentarily breathless.</p><p>"I'm fine with black," she said, taking a sip and humming happily.</p><p>He smiled and sat down in the chair next to her bed, taking his own needed sip. It was quiet for a few moments before Betty spoke up again.</p><p>"To answer your question, yes the conversation went well. Well, as well it could have considering I had to tell my best friend I was kidnapped," she grimaced.</p><p>Jughead winced in sympathy. "I can only imagine how hard that must have been."</p><p>She nodded. "Right. Which is why I gave him only the strict need-to-know details. I didn't tell him about the-the assault or anything. I love Kevin, I truly do, but his dad is the sheriff and he would have shown up here faster than any of us could blink. Figured you guys might not want a sheriff here this early."</p><p>Jughead looked at her thoughtfully. "Wouldn't be the first time."</p><p>"Right, but I would never forgive myself if Sheriff Keller thought you guys were the gang who attacked me, despite the fact that I'd adamantly deny it. I love Kevin but his dad doesn't necessarily have a good judge about people. He would take a look at your jacket and see "gang members" and not what I see," she said, shrugging.</p><p>"Which is?" Jughead prompted, curious to hear her answer.</p><p>"Good people," she said simply.</p><p>Jughead was a bit shocked. "We wear these jackets to make a point. We are a gang."</p><p>"Yes, but at the end of the day, you're still people. I don't care about gang affiliation or any of that shit. You and your friend, uh, Pea? Yeah, Pea. You two saw a girl in need of help, while, might I add, right after you doused a room filled with drugs in gasoline and had every intention of setting it on fire. You guys saw me, immediately stopped, and came to help. Even though I was taking my time with deciding if you guys could be trusted. That says enough for me," she said firmly.</p><p>Jughead traced his upper lip. "Who are you, Betty Cooper?"</p><p>"Same person as you, Jughead. Someone who sees injustices and wants to do the right thing. That's why I was at the warehouse. I had been following a lead I had gotten about the Ghoulies. It led me to their warehouse and, had I not made a minor mistake, I wouldn't have gotten kidnapped. I don't regret it now. It let us meet and I feel like we're going to be quite the pair in bringing these dicks down," she grinned.</p><p>Jughead grinned, dipping his head. "Fair enough, Nancy Drew."</p><p>A smile twitched at Betty's lips as she took another sip of coffee, the pair falling into a somewhat comfortable silence. Jughead thought back to the night before. The girl they had found seemed petrified to the bone, and for good reason. But, with that being acknowledged, it was also nice to see her a bit more relaxed. Especially since she was still, essentially, with strangers. He took comfort in the fact that on some level, she knew they wouldn't hurt her.</p><p>"So," Betty began. "Are we going to go look for any information on them today?"</p><p>Jughead thought about it. "Do you feel up to that?"</p><p>He gestured towards her broken arm and worn-down body with a tilt of his head. She did not surprise him in the least when she nodded firmly.</p><p>"Yes," she said, tone brooking no room for argument. Not that that surprised him either. He had already concluded that Betty Cooper was a force to be reckoned with. He grinned.</p><p>"Alright, we'll go after you've had something to eat and have kept it down," he said. He knew that she would most likely want to go right away but he would have to be the one to put his foot down this time. He needed her to eat something and he needed to make sure she was going to be able to keep it down. The weight she had lost was not sitting comfortably with him and he needed to do something about it. He definitely needed to make sure she didn't overexert herself for the next couple of days and fainting on an empty stomach fell into that category. Luckily, she didn't protest the condition, but just nodded.</p><p>Sweet Pea walked in then, bowl of soup and a glass of water on a tray. He smiled at Betty.</p><p>"Hey, doll. Good to see you sitting up," he said, tone soft. Betty smiled.</p><p>"Thank you, Pea. Or, uh, do I call you something else? I'm only calling you that cause that's what I vaguely remember Jughead calling you last night," she said, nose scrunched up. </p><p>Sweet Pea chuckled and shook his head.</p><p>"Nah, it's fine. You can call me that," he assured her as he settled the tray over her lap and pushed the spoon to the side of the bowl where it was facing her good arm.</p><p>"Alright," Jughead said. "I need you to try and eat as much of that as you can but go slow, okay, hon? If it doesn't feel right with your stomach, stop. We just want to see what you can handle right now, okay?"</p><p>Betty nodded, taking an experimental swallow of soup slowly. The hum she made sounded like one of approval.</p><p>"Oh my gosh, food," she sighed happily, taking another spoonful. "And, homemade at that. This is really good, Pea. Thank you."</p><p>Sweet Pea grinned. "You're welcome, but don't ever thank me for food again. Those dicks deprived you of it. We don't do that. No one does that. So, you don't have to thank me for being a decent human."</p><p>Betty chuckled, nodding her head as she did so. "Alright."</p><p>It was quiet as she continued to eat, slowly as instructed. Jughead made sure to not stare at her hard enough to make her uncomfortable but he did keep an eye on her enough to make sure she wasn't in danger of being sick. Luckily, she finished the entire bowl and sighed happily.</p><p>"That was fantastic, and I don't feel sick," she said, and the three of them sighed in relief.</p><p>"Good," Jughead grinned. "We'll work on some snacks later and then figure out a slightly bigger dinner that will still be easy on your stomach."</p><p>Betty nodded. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."</p><p>The two men grinned, and Sweet Pea took the tray back out as Jughead looked at Betty.</p><p>"Are you sure you're up for some recon today?" Jughead asked.</p><p>Betty nodded.</p><p>"Yes," she said firmly. "Hell yes."</p><p>He grinned.</p><p>"There's the fire I was looking for. Let's go."</p><p>Author's note: Enjoy! Xxx</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jughead decided to use Sweet Pea's truck for his recon mission to the Ghoulie's warehouse with Betty. He didn't want her to get on the back of his bike with a broken arm and with her as thin as she was. The last thing he needed was for her to collapse and hurt herself further due to how small she was. After she had buckled herself in and he got in, too, he began the drive to where they had found the blonde girl the night before. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, he took notice of how content she looked staring out of the window. She didn't seem to be concerned to be in the presence of another affiliated gang member even though she had been abducted and abused by men who were from a gang, too.</p>
<p>He cleared his throat. "How you doin' with all of this?"</p>
<p>Betty looked at him, seemingly confused. "How am I doing with what?"</p>
<p>He sighed as he ran the hand not holding the steering wheel loosely through his hair. "Uh. Your abduction and…"</p>
<p>He had trailed off, unsure of how to voice her sexual assault delicately when he winced every time internally just thinking about the words.</p>
<p>"My rape?" Betty asked, eyebrow lifted. Well. Seemed like she was handling it better than him, anyways. He nodded.</p>
<p>"Yeah," he croaked. "That."</p>
<p>She laughed an aborted chuckle, but it lacked humor. He wasn't surprised.</p>
<p>"I'm…doing as well as to be expected," she replied quietly, shoulders hunching inwards. He wasn't sure why, but he had the sudden notion to rub her shoulders gently until the tension that radiated out of them dissipated. He nodded.</p>
<p>"I, uh, think that's the best we can ask for right now," he murmured, tone soft. She looked at him curiously.</p>
<p>"What are you and your friends getting out of this?" Betty asked, not unkindly. Jughead was surprised by the question.</p>
<p>"What do you mean?" Jughead asked, small frown tugging his lip downwards.</p>
<p>"I mean, I'm sure you guys didn't count on rescuing a damsel in distress last night," she said bitterly. He knew the bitterness was directed towards herself.</p>
<p>Jughead chuckled. "Don't you know, Nancy? Your literary hero was no damsel that needed saving and I don't think you are, either."</p>
<p>Betty looked at him in surprise. "You guys found me handcuffed to a pole."</p>
<p>"Right. But you had been sleuthing like the detective you've admired since a little girl and just happened to get caught. Furthermore, you were sleuthing by yourself. You didn't bring any…who were they? The Hardy Boys? Them, you didn't bring any of those guys with you," he grinned at her, taking a private delight in the way her cheeks tinted pink as she ducked her head, shy smile pulling at her lips.</p>
<p>"This is true," she mused.</p>
<p>Jughead grinned. "You're going to be alright, Betty." He said the words with such assuredness that he, himself, could see the last of the tension seep out of her body and that was good enough for him to know he got his job done at convincing her they hadn't saved her. She smiled.</p>
<p>"Thanks, Jughead," she murmured quietly.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>By the time they pulled up to the warehouses the two Serpents had been at the night before, Betty's lips were set in a grim line. Jughead cut off the truck and looked at her.</p>
<p>"Ready for this?" Jughead asked quietly. She inhaled as she firmly set her jaw and nodded.</p>
<p>"As I'll ever be," came the steady reply and Jughead felt a bit of pride swell up inside of him for the blonde's resilience. He reached across her for a moment to open the glove compart. Pulling out a gun, he was quick to make sure the safety lock was in place before getting out of the truck and tucking it into his waistband.</p>
<p>"Ever shoot before?" Jughead asked quietly, eyes scanning the grounds before them.</p>
<p>Betty nodded. "Yes, but not with my arm in a sling."</p>
<p>"Ever shoot one-armed?" Jughead inquired.</p>
<p>A single nod.</p>
<p>"Same thing."</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>After producing a second gun, Jughead had instructed her to put that gun in her own waistband and to aim to wound, not kill. The look of shock that had flitted across her features told him that's what she was initially planning to do anyways.</p>
<p>"I mean, I know they were ultimately planning on killing me after they finished their fun games and all, but I'm no killer," she stammered, and Jughead barked out a laugh that was anything but amused.</p>
<p>"Betty. The only reason I said to wound and not kill is because the Serpents don't take kindly to crimes against women and you have been brutally attacked. Pea, Fangs, and I will kill them once they're begging for it," he said in a venomous tone.</p>
<p>Betty opened her mouth uncertainly, before promptly closing it and delivering a swift nod.</p>
<p>"Alright," she said quietly but with conviction. Jughead took a moment to study her face carefully before nodding in agreement and ducking down low as he began to run the length of the first warehouse. He could hear Betty's quiet footsteps behind him, barely there. Reaching the door leading into the building, he brought his finger to his lips to tell her to stay quiet as he peeked around the partially open door.</p>
<p>"Four men, backs facing the door," he muttered.</p>
<p>"Idiots," she sighed quietly, and he nodded. They crept in and, by the time the idiots did in fact realize they weren't alone, Betty had clocked one over the head with impressive accuracy; Jughead following up with a bullet to another's knee.</p>
<p>"Hello, boys," Jughead said calmly.</p>
<p>"Sonofabitch, that was my knee!" The Ghoulie shouted. Jughead rolled his eyes, eyes searching the room for something to shut him up. Landing on the duct tape they most likely used on Betty, he nodded his head at it and Betty got the hint. Keeping her back away from the Ghoulies, she hurried to get it, while Jughead placed his gun near the Ghoulie's temple. Bringing the tape back to him, Jughead made quick work of tying him up.</p>
<p>"Now," he said. "Which one of you hurt the woman next to me?"</p>
<p>The Ghoulie spit in his face.</p>
<p>"Slut wanted it."</p>
<p>Jughead's fist collided with his jaw. "Wrong answer. Try again."</p>
<p>The man groaned. "We all did."</p>
<p>Jughead felt his stomach drop as he shot a look at Betty. He could see the shame in her eyes as she nodded, and his heart ached. This was, in no way, her fault. He clenched his teeth.</p>
<p>"Well, seems like we've got some explaining to do then, don't we, guys?" Jughead asked, before rearing his fist back and slamming it forward. The Ghoulie toppled over, unconscious. He quickly subdued the other two, tying them up as well, before taping all of their mouths shut. He looked at Betty.</p>
<p>"You still doing okay?" Jughead asked softly, and she nodded, eyes staring down at the four men in front of her.</p>
<p>"I never understood how anyone could do that to someone. Force themselves on another person," she whispered, gun hanging loosely at her side. Jughead swallowed. He wanted to offer words of comfort; tell her he understood but the truth of the matter was he didn't. He had never been in the position before and it would be disrespectful to her to tell her he had. He hesitantly placed his hand on her shoulder, rubbing it softly when she didn't move away.</p>
<p>"You're gonna be okay, you know that? Maybe not today. Maybe not even tomorrow. But with time, with whatever help you want with your attack, you'll get through this, Nancy," he murmured. She looked at him for a moment longer before hesitantly wrapping her good arm around his waist in a timid hug. He held on just a little tighter and she nestled her head into his chest.</p>
<p>"Thank you," she whispered, and he nodded.</p>
<p>"Anytime you need that reminder, you can come to me," he promised firmly, and she nodded.</p>
<p>XXX</p>
<p>Getting the Ghoulies out of the warehouse and back to their own headquarters required the help of Pea and Fangs and by the time it was done, they had the four men tied in chairs chained to the floor and Jughead and his men waiting for them to come to. Despite her protesting, Jughead had sent Betty back upstairs to call Kevin and tell him what had happened and that she was still doing okay. His real reasoning? He didn't want her to see a side of him that he would unleash on these vile creatures. He was still wanting her to feel her sense of safety around them. Jughead noticed the men waking up and slipped on his brass knuckles, Pea and Fangs following suit. The men blinked their eyes open lethargically as they began to take in their surroundings, voices being muffled by the tape across each of their mouths.</p>
<p>"No point in trying to talk, gentlemen," Jughead said lowly, smile twitching at his lips. "You, ah, got something on your mouths. But don't worry, we'll still have fun without being able to hear screams."</p>
<p>With that, the three Serpents stalked forward.</p>
<p>Author's note: So, there is a lot to come with this story. I hope you enjoyed what I am actually calling a filler chapter cause haven't brought Malachi into the mix yet. Enjoy!</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jughead and his men made quick work of disposing of the bodies of the Ghoulies who had violated Betty after getting the information they needed. Unsurprisingly, they were acting on Malachi's orders when they kidnapped her. What was surprising, however, was that Malachi had had his sights set on Betty long before she went to scope out the warehouse. He had found out that she had found out about his drug supply that he was trying to infiltrate into Riverdale before she made her move to the warehouse. The things you learned when someone was being placed under serious distress. Jughead wiped the blood off his hands as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, thinking about how best to approach the situation.</p>
<p>On the one hand, he didn't want to lie to Betty about the fact that she had had a target on her back prior to her kidnapping; on the other, he didn't want to scare her, either. They didn't know each other that well but what they did know? Trust was key to keep their relationship with each other. Sighing, he stepped out of his bathroom and made his way down to where Betty had been sleeping the past two nights. Knocking on the door, he entered after she gave permission.</p>
<p>"Hey," he said, looking at her as she studied something on her phone. Looking up, she smiled softly, and there was that damn misstep in his rhythmic beating of his heart. Fuck, Jones, not now.</p>
<p>"Hey, Jughead," she said, putting her phone aside. "Are, they, uh…"</p>
<p>He nodded. "They're taken care of."</p>
<p>Even though it was a dark statement, he watched as Betty's shoulders fell slightly and knew she wasn't too upset with him. He sighed and she tilted her head curiously. "I have something to tell you. Something the guys and I found out before we got rid of those men."</p>
<p>Betty nodded, sitting up straight. "Okay."</p>
<p>Running a hand through his hair, he pushed himself off the wall and made his way towards her bed, crouching down and gently taking her hand in his. Rubbing her knuckles, he began speaking.</p>
<p>"Do you know who the Ghoulies leader is?" Jughead asked.</p>
<p>"Malachi, isn't it?" Betty replied, brow furrowed, and he nodded.</p>
<p>"Yes. Betty, he, uh, knew who you were before you were kidnapped. He…" Jughead trailed off. Betty got the gist, however.</p>
<p>"Placed a target on my back?" Betty whispered in a horrified voice, and Jughead swallowed, nodding as he continued to stroke her knuckles.</p>
<p>"Yes, but Betty, I swear to God, I will not -," he didn't get to finish the sentence because Betty began shaking in that moment. He watched for a second as she tried to catch her breath and realized what was happening. "Shit, Betts, honey, you're going into a panic attack. It's okay. Just breathe."</p>
<p>She looked at him like he had lost his fucking mind and he would have laughed if the situation wasn't dire. He stood up, wrapping an arm around her, mindful of her broken arm, and began leading her in a breathing technique he had learned from Toni.</p>
<p>"Okay, hon, just match my breaths. In…out…in…out," he encouraged her to follow his steady pace. "That's it. Just like that."</p>
<p>Betty's hands shook and he caught her good hand curling tightly and he frowned, trying to loosen it but she had it soldered, and he couldn't budge her fingers away from her palm. No mind right now. He just kept her focused on her breathing until she steadied her own breaths at last. Pushing her hair back, he smiled gently at her.</p>
<p>"There you go, hon," he murmured, rubbing her shoulder. He eventually got her to loosen her palm, glancing down, and feeling his stomach sink at the sight. Indentations. From fingernails. Her fingernails. The startling realization of what that meant crashed down upon him and he swallowed, looking at her. She couldn't meet his eyes, cheeks tinted red. Tilting her chin up, he smiled gently, not choosing to ask questions. He could ask later.</p>
<p>"We'll work on it," was all he said, and by God, did he intend to see that promise through. She looked at him for a long moment before exhaling a sigh and nodding.</p>
<p>"Okay," she murmured.</p>
<p>It was silent for a couple of beats before she spoke up again.</p>
<p>"So, Malachi has wanted me dead for a while," she muttered, and he squeezed her hand.</p>
<p>"Not a chance in hell the Serpents will let that happen. Not a chance in hell I will let him within 100 feet of you," Jughead promised firmly. "He has a fucking death wish." Jughead watched as Betty took in what he was saying, contemplating his words, (his promises), before nodding slowly.</p>
<p>"Okay," she whispered. She bit her lip. "I'm…I'm sorry."</p>
<p>Jughead frowned.</p>
<p>"What on earth do you have to be sorry for?" Jughead demanded.</p>
<p>"I just feel like I've created a lot of shit for you guys," she muttered, rubbing her good hand over her face tiredly. Jughead took a moment to look at her. To really look at her. He sensed she was younger than him by a couple of years at least, but she seemed to age in that moment, she wore her exhaustion that much on her face. Releasing a quiet sigh, Jughead placed a gentle hand on her knee, ducking his head down to try and make eye contact.</p>
<p>"Betty," he said softly, waiting patiently until she looked up. "Hon, this is not your fault. Whether or not you had crossed paths with Malachi, we, the Serpents, would still be working against him and his mediocre gang. They're the vilest of men and we don't tolerate them polluting our streets with the drugs they try to deal. It's just an unfortunate matter that you got caught up in. That's all. No one, least of all me and my men, are troubled by you."</p>
<p>He watched as she swallowed, noting it looked painful, and hesitated for the briefest of moments before he brushed his lips against her forehead tenderly.</p>
<p>"It's okay," he whispered. "I promise."</p>
<p>She nodded, laughing a little. "Thank you."</p>
<p>She fell silent then, giving Jughead a moment to think about how he was going to make Malachi pay for ever setting his eyes on the petite blonde. In the short time they had been together, (all of two days, Jones,) he had grown to care for her at least as a friend. He just hoped the feelings were reciprocated. As if sensing his doubts, she cleared her throat.</p>
<p>"Uh, this may sound weird since we literally just met, but I, well, wanted to say thank you. For being a friend when I needed one the most," she murmured, ducking her head again as he saw the all too familiar red staining her cheeks. He was coming to enjoy her blush and vowed to find as many ways as possible to make her do it while she was around him. He nudged her shoulder, grinning like the fucking idiot he was.</p>
<p>"Think I'm the one who owes you the thanks," he said, and she rolled her eyes, laughing. The mood shifted to one of lightheartedness and Jughead knew that they'd be okay to face whatever was coming their way. And there was no doubt that it was coming.</p>
<p>Author's note: Enjoy. XX</p>
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